PSA to Bears fans for NFL Draft

Draft day is upon us. As we speak, a diversity of fans is flocking to Radio City Music Hall in New York to enjoy the festivities of the 2014 NFL Draft. Before long, fans will be cheering or jeering their team’s selection — mostly booing, in the case of Jets fans.

In honor of this momentous occasion, I have a public service announcement for Bears fans: don’t be like those meatheads. You’re not a scout. You’re not a coach. You’re not an expert. And neither am I.

Chances are, your opinion of whom the Bears draft in this three-day extravaganza will be somewhat inaccurate at the very least, but likely full-blown wrong.

In 2012, fans scratched their heads, booed, and ran their mouths about the selection of Boise State defensive end Shea McClellin — and thus far, those sentiments have panned out.

In 2013, fans scratched their heads, booed, and ran their mouths about the selection of Oregon guard Kyle Long — and thus far, those reactions have looked foolish.

You just don’t know how a player will pan out in the NFL. Nobody does, whether you’re a scout, a coach, a member of the front office, an analyst, or a fan. Truth be told, there’s a high bust probability in the first round of drafts (for instance, whoever selects Johnny Manziel this weekend will be ridiculed for years).

I encourage you to be open and receptive to whomever GM Phil Emery selects and give those players the requisite two or three years before we accurately judge them. And given how badly the Bears played defense last year, I feel almost any player they select on that side of the ball will be an upgrade.